Learning modern languages: Redundant?

THE latest programme to encourage junior cycle students to realise fluency in Irish and modern languages was launched by Education Minister Richard Bruton yesterday. This, in our scheme of things, seems entirely praiseworthy.

It is part of our culture’s great store of received wisdom that the ability to speak several languages, especially European ones, is a good thing and it is hard to suggest otherwise. However, an escalating trend among British students suggests it may be time to review the educational commitment needed to achieve that fluency. The number of UK students taking modern languages is plummeting by around 10% a year. The number of those studying German has fallen by a third since 2010. This trend reflects the reality that Europe is embracing English as its working language. Just like maths, translation, spoken as well as written, has proved susceptible to computerisation.

Is it time to ask a once unthinkable question — might the class time and energy dedicated to learning French, Spanish, German or Italian be better used?